Hogwarts grounds, Quidditch pitch, 24th of June, night.

They got up to see what was happening, but weren't the only ones running towards the centre of the field. The Ministry officials who had been standing by the stands were now trying to form a circle around something in the middle of the field, succeeding only in forming a target for everyone to run to.

"What's happening?" she asked Ron, who was trying to look over the mass to see if it really was Harry.

Even as tall as Ron was, he was having a hard time seeing over the crowd as more and more people tried to push forward.

"I can't see. It looks like Harry… hey, watch out, will you? – Wait, Hermione, it's Harry! Dumbledore is bending over him… I can't tell what's going on, though, looks like he might be unconscious…."

"Unconscious or dead?" she asked softly, hoping Ron would understand that she actually didn't want to know the answer.

He turned back toward her, and with a glare said softly, "Don't say that… Just… just don't."

She had never seen him so frightened, but he had already turned around again, still trying to see what was going on. But that seemed impossible. The more they tried to reach the middle, the more they were pushed to the edge of the pitch. Ron let out a howl of frustration.

"What's happening? Oi, you! Let us through, we're friends of his!"

"Which one?" answered a boy in a Beauxbatons uniform. "Ze one 'oo eez alive or ze one 'oo eezn't?"

Hermione felt as if the ground beneath her feet had suddenly disappeared. Her ears were filled by a buzzing noise. Oh no… don't let Harry be dead… please don't let Harry be dead…

Ron looked close to punching the boy, but Hermione pulled him away. "Ron, we need to find out which one's Harry!" she shouted, her voice strangled with panic. Ron was very pale under the light of the torches, but nodded. They fought their way to the left, hoping to find a way through. That proved to be useless as well.

"Excuse me," Hermione asked, tapping a girl wearing Hogwarts robes on the shoulder. The girl turned, and she recognized Angelina Johnson. "Angelina, can you see anything?"

Tears were streaming down Angelina's face.

"Oh, Hermione!" Before Hermione knew it, she had a sobbing Angelina in her arms, and she felt her own tears starting to well up again. "He's dead!"

"Who? Which one?" Ron roared. He looked like he was about to go mad out of frustration, while all Hermione could feel was pain and tears. Of course it was Harry who was dead – Cedric was more skilled and not as foolishly brave as Harry was….

Angelina didn't answer Ron's question. However, the murmurs and the cries of pain and loss around them did.

"I can't believe it!"

"How could he die?"

"What happened?"

"Where were they?"

"Is Cedric dead?"

"Cedric's dead!"

"Where are his parents?"

Staring in shock at each other (though Angelina was still in between them, holding onto Hermione like her life depended on it), it suddenly got through to them.

"It's Cedric," Ron whispered.

"Will everybody please return to the castle!"

"Everybody to the castle! Now!"

The cry was taken up by Ministry officials across the pitch as they tried to direct everyone back to the castle.

"Ron, what's happening?" she asked, but Ron didn't seem to hear her. The mass that had wanted to rush forward a minute ago was suddenly retreating. Hermione caught a glimpse of the centre of the field, but to her astonishment, there was now only one body, lying under a white sheet. Flitwick was levitating the Triwizard Cup nearby, and two people, too stunned with grief, were kneeling next to it. But where was Harry?

"Ron! Harry's disappeared again!" she shouted, panicking. Her heart felt like it was about to pound straight out of her chest. She looked next to her, but Ron wasn't there.

"Ron!"

Somewhere to her left there was a muffled reply, but when she looked, she didn't see him.

She sank down on her knees, closing her eyes and ears. It was all a nightmare. Any moment she could wake up, with her blankets wrapped tightly around her. Any moment she would hear Lavender snore, and realise that Cedric wasn't dead. That Harry wasn't lost again. That Harry had never been lost in the first place. That she hadn't lost Ron. Any moment now….

Suddenly, she felt something warm on her face. She opened her eyes, and stared into the face of a dog.

"Sirius," she whispered. She didn't know if normal dogs could actually do such thing, but this one had tearstains next to his nose, and was whining horribly. Hermione calmed almost instantly; this was someone she knew. Someone who would take care of things, take care of her. It nudged her cheek again, and motioned his head, as if asking her to follow him. Hermione stood up unsteadily. The crowd had thinned out, but she hardly noticed, keeping her eyes on the dog. He kept walking across the field and behind the stands, and for a moment, Hermione thought he was trying to enter the Forbidden Forest until she realised that they were walking to Hagrid's hut.

"Hermione!" Before she had opened the door completely, Mrs. Weasley had already engulfed her in a hug, and was nearly suffocating her. When she finally let go, Hermione looked around. It looked like everyone with red hair had gathered here. While said owner was rummaging in his kitchen, making tea. Everyone but….

"Where's Ron?"

"Don't know. He was with you." Ginny said from one of the huge chairs. Fred, who was sitting next to her, had just tried one of Hagrid's homemade cookies, and Hermione thought she heard something crack in his mouth. She was fairly sure it wasn't the cookie.

"I lost him in the crowd, it was all so confusing." She sat down, her head feeling heavier by the minute from worries.

"Well, nothin' new there," Hagrid said, turning around. "Here yeh go." He handed her a steaming mug. "Let's just wait, shall we?"

Between the hug and the added distraction of all the Weasleys, Hermione hadn't paid attention to Sirius. When she turned around, he was no longer behind her.

"Where did the dog go?" Most of the people in the room shrugged. They probably hadn't seen the dog in all the chaos.

"Yeh had a dog with yeh? Darn! I lost 'im again! Dumbledore said I was supposed to look after it. Said it was the dog of an old friend. Great man, Dumbledore," he added unnecessary.

Silence fell. Everyone seemed to be doing something to avoid talking about what had happened. Mrs. Weasley was cleaning invisible spots on the table with her thumb. Fred was rubbing his cheek, as if that would lessen the pain in his mouth. Ginny was staring blankly into her mug, while Bill put a fresh bandage over a burn he had received from the skrewts. George followed the grain of the wooden tabletop with his finger. Hermione wanted to ask what they knew, but wasn't sure if the right words would come out of her mouth if she opened it. So many thoughts were swirling through her head. Where's was Ron? Where's Harry? Why had Sirius left immediately after bringing her here? What would happen with Cedric's body? Why did they suddenly had to leave the field so quickly after they were forbidden to do so only minutes before? But most of all: What had happened with Harry?

She was about to sip from her steaming mug, when a bark was heard from the outside.

"Oi! There's that dog again!" Hagrid opened the door.

Ron stood just outside the door, followed closely by the dog.

Hermione felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Hurriedly, she placed her mug on the table and hurtled toward the door, catching Ron in a tight hug.

"Well, Mum, no need for you to get up anymore," Fred said behind her back.

"Where were you?" she asked, then smiled as she heard Ron ask her the same thing. He grinned back, but then became serious again.

"Where's Harry? Why are we in here?"

"Professor Flitwick said that it would be better if we stayed here. Dumbledore might need our help later, but it seems dangerous to be on the pitch now," Fred said.

"Why?"

"Ron, use your head. Harry just came back with Cedric's dead body. He probably didn't come from a tea-party with an old witch. Who can assure that whatever attacked Harry and Cedric might not also appear out of thin air?" Bill said.

Ron's arrival had started the conversation they had all been waiting for. Ron glanced at her, as if to admit You-Know-Who must have had something to do with it.

"At first we thought it was part of the task," Fred said. "At least until the teachers started to panic."

"Where did Harry disappear to just now?"

"I saw Moody taking him to the castle. He's probably in his office, or Dumbledore's, or maybe in the Hospital Wing," George said.

"Let's go, then." Ron's hand was still on her back, and now he guided her towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Weasley boomed.

"To see Harry, of course."

"No you're not! The school's obviously in danger! The grounds aren't safe, you heard your brother!"

"But Mum! He might need us!"

"There are other people with him! What he needs is for you to be safe, and stay here like Professor Flitwick told us to. He said Dumbledore or another teacher would contact us, so we will wait." When Ron opened his mouth to protest, she added sharply, "Now sit down, and have some tea."

Ron closed his mouth, but remained standing in the same spot. Hermione understood his feeling perfectly. It had been frustrating to say the least to not know where Harry was or how much danger he was in. But now it was equally frustrating to know where he was, but not be able to go to him. It felt as if she was watching him from the stands, struggling in the maze again.

Hermione looked at Sirius, who was still whining. He probably felt the same way.

There was a sharp knock on the door then, and Hagrid opened it.

"Good evening Hagrid, have you perhaps seen a dog? He was supposed to be in…" But McGonagall trailed off when she saw that Hagrid wasn't the only person she was speaking to.

Hermione looked at the Head of Gryffindor. McGonagall had certainly been under stress the last time she'd seen her, but that was nothing compared to the state the professor was in now. She was breathing very quickly, as if she had run from the castle, and pieces of her hair had escaped from her bun and were flying about her face. Her eyes were wide open, suggesting that even she was shocked by the day's events, and her voice trembled slightly, as Hermione had never known it to do.

"A dog? Yes, I got 'im 'ere," Hagrid said and pointed at the dog.

"Dumbledore needs him," she explained shortly.

Sirius immediately stood up and walked towards her. They were about to leave when Hermione finally managed to speak.

"Is Harry all right?"

McGonagall looked at her, as if trying to decide how to answer.

"He's… he's in shock, but he seems to be all right. A bit of rest and some anti-infection potion is all he needs." She had turned back to the door again before Mrs. Weasley spoke.

"Can we see him?"

McGonagall shook her head. "Potter first has to understand what has happened this night. Some things… need to be sorted out." She looked very white and it sounded as if she wasn't agreeing with this measurement.

"Then can we wait for him in the Hospital Wing?" Ron asked.

McGonagall seemed to turn even paler and her lips got so thin that Hermione couldn't see them anymore. However, after Ron kept staring at her, she nodded.

"Hagrid, could you escort them please? And could you then go to Madame Maxime? She is looking for Karkaroff and Ludo Bagman with some Ministry officials."

Hagrid nodded, and took his crossbow, while McGonagall and the dog sped off into the dark.

After Hagrid dropped the rest of their group off – nothing had happened on the school grounds, and except for the huge amount of wizards running around, it seemed like a normal night – Pomfrey opened the Hospital Wing, but immediately started to complain at the number of people at the door.

"I'm sorry, but this is a Hospital Wing! It must be quiet in here, and each patient is allowed only five visitors at a time.

"But Harry hasn't arrived yet," Bill said.

Pomfrey seemed a bit taken aback by this statement, but it did not look like she was planning to change her mind, though. Fred and George interrupted.

"It's all right. We'll go back to Gryffindor Tower. I want to hear exactly what happened on the field after we left," Fred said, and George nodded.

"'Night mum. We'll see you at the end of term. Bye Bill." They both hugged their mother. George punched Bill playfully on the shoulder, and turned around to leave.

"Well, all right then," Pomfrey said. She opened the door completely, and they took their places in the seats next to an empty bed. Ginny yawned, attracting the attention of Mrs Weasley.

"Ginny, you should go back to the Tower as well! It's far too late for you to be up!"

"I'm not tired!" she whined, but her argument was weakened as she yawned again.

"Come on, you," Bill said, with a softness in his voice that Hermione had never heard before. "Let's just get you to your dorm." He stood up, took her hand, and almost without sputtering, Ginny followed him out of the room.

"And then there were three," Ron whispered next to her. Hermione felt tired. She had barely slept last night, because there had been normal things to fuss about, like exams. They had helped Harry every afternoon and sometimes evenings as well, meaning that studying had to be done late at night. She leaned her head on Ron's shoulder; it suddenly felt very heavy.

It had been such an intense day. Right during breakfast, she had finally got the idea how Rita Skeeter managed to hear about all those private conversations and had ran of towards the library to confirm it. Then there was the exam in History of Magic, in which she was sure she had incorrectly answered question 13, part b. She was still mad at herself for doing so; the question had been far too simple to make an error….Then of course the practical exam of Care of Magical Creatures had begun that afternoon, although she wasn't sure how Hagrid would grade it; after all, could students be graded on the way they cut their fruit and vegetables for the skrewts?

But then the madness had started…Hermione felt her head becoming heavier by the second. She inhaled deeply. Ron's T-shirt smelled nice. Something like grass and parchment and… what was that other smell? Something indescribably Ron. The last thing she felt was Ron's head barely touching hers.

She didn't know how long she had slept. When she opened her eyes, she realised that the whole Wing was empty, and that the sound of the door closing had woken her up. Ron's head wasn't on top of hers anymore. Instead, his hand was softly stroking her hair. She liked it and wished he would continue, but as soon as the boy next to her noticed that she was awake, he stopped.

"Where is everyone?"

"Bill came back from bringing Ginny to her dorm, but then Snape came in and asked if Pomfrey could help with Professor Moody. Apparently he's been sick. My mum and Bill went with them. They just left."

Hermione said nothing. She still felt tired, but also a bit guilty: how could she have been sleeping when there were so many unanswered questions still swirling in her head? When they still hadn't seen Harry?

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"You were right about Victor. I'm so —" But she never heard the rest of the sentence, since Pomfrey, Mrs. Weasley and Bill came back at that point, levitating a man between them.

"Gently place him on the bed, please," Pomfrey said. Hermione got a look at the man's face and saw that it was Professor Moody, but he didn't look like the man who had been standing by the maze this evening. This Moody was unconscious, had great chunks of hair missing and seemed to be weakened, paler and thinner.

"What's happened?" Ron asked Bill, who sat down again. Mrs. Weasley and Madame Pomfrey were now putting the man under the blankets, and pulled some curtains around the bed.

"I don't know exactly. Snape brought us to Mad-Eye's office. McGonagall was guarding some bloke I've never seen before, and Mad-Eye was lying on the floor – Madame Pomfrey said it looked like Imperius – and there was some potion you won't have heard of, allows a person to take the appearance of someone else."

Hermione didn't think it wise to mention their previous experiences with Polyjuice Potion; if Bill thought they were innocent young students, she wasn't going to do anything to change that perspective.

"Did they say who the other bloke was?"

"Crouch, I think. I only remembered because of all the times Percy's mentioned the name… Crouch junior, though, not Percy's boss."

Hermione didn't have to look at Ron to know that he was thinking the same thing. How could it be? Mr. Crouch's son was supposed to be in Azkaban!

"I don't understand any of it!" Ron said.

"Did you see Harry?" Hermione asked Mrs. Weasley, who was walking back to her chair from where Madame Pomfrey was trying to force-feed the weakened Moody some potion. She shook her head.

"What's taking him so long?" Ron murmured.

Pomfrey excused herself. She had to look on Viktor and Fleur, who were lying in their beds at the ship and the carriage. She left the room.

Minutes flew by. Hermione wondered what time it actually was, but she didn't bother looking at her watch. Looking at the time would only make the waiting seem longer.

When Pomfrey came back, Mrs. Weasley stood up, and so did Bill and Ron.

"Have you seen Harry yet?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Did he go straight to his dorm?" said Bill.

Pomfrey shook her head.

"No, I don't know where he —"

But at that moment, the door opened, and a familiar, but exhausted looking face appeared.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here you go, updated as promised!

Thanks to LEAD, who edited the story even though she's very buisy!

I still don't own the plotline, the characters, and in this story, even most of the events aren't mine...

What I do own, is the next chapter... I have it here in my possesion on my laptop, and for you to get it, is actually pretty simple: Leave a review about this one...:P:P

x-mokimik-x